Samsung's bedtime sensor can turn off the TV when you nod off

BERLIN — I sure didn't need Samsung's SleepSense to tell me how jet-lagged I felt the morning after flying to Berlin for the IFA trade show; a transatlantic flight is hardly a way to feel rested.

But by placing Samsung's new sensor under the mattress, I would be able to track, understand and supposedly improve the quality of my sleep.

You've heard of the Internet of Things — maybe the Internet of Slumber should be more like it.

As you lie down in bed, SleepSense can measure your breathing, heart rate and movement in real time — all without directly touching your body. Samsung claims you'll receive a sleep score and data in the morning that is accurate up to 97%, delivered through an app on your Android smartphone or iPhone.

Moreover, SleepSense can communicate with compatible networked devices in the house: your television, audio system, thermostat, and so on, to create an environment that's conducive to falling and staying asleep.

Here's the broad Internet of Things vision: If you nod off while watching a late night movie, the sensor can detect that and turn the TV off automatically. If it's stuffy in your bedroom, maybe your AC cranks it up. And in the morning once you wake up, the lights will automatically turn on, your curtains will rise and the coffee maker will start.

The various smart devices and appliances don't have to be from Samsung either, though the company suggests you may want to connect them via a hub from SmartThings, which Samsung acquired last year. Some 200 devices are compatible through the SmartThings ecosystem.

Samsung says you'll also receive health tips on proper nutrition and exercise through the app, developed in consultation with Dr. Christos Mantzoros, a Harvard Medical School professor. Meantime, since the SleepSense is connected to the cloud, you might be able to remotely check on how an elderly loved one who has a sensor under his or mattress is sleeping and receive alerts in case of trouble or a health emergency.

I'm told you will have to connect the sensor to power — it comes with a long cord. And though Samsung says the sensor should work fine through any standard mattress, you may want to make sure if you have an especially thick one.

Samsung hasn't revealed pricing or precise launch plans.

I've always considered Internet of Things an unfortunate descriptor for cloud-connected electronics and appliances. One thing it is not, though, is a sleepy subject.

Email: ebaig@usatoday.com; Follow USA TODAY Personal Tech columnist @edbaig on Twitter